Changeable sign.



- No. 676,396. Patented lune Il,'l90l.

T. P. HEINEMANN.

CHANGEABLE SIGN.

zApplicntion filed Jul 5. 1900 Mia-365365: I M filfniar.

UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

THEODORE P. HEINEMANN, OF OONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALFTO FRANCIS T. ROOTS, OF SAME PLACE.

CHANGEABLE SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 676,396, dated June 11, 1901.

Application filed July 5, 1900. Serial No. 2Z,4=76. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE P. HEINE- MANN, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and a resident of Oonnersville, in the county ofFayette and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Changeable Signs, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is a sign which will at regular intervalspresent to the eye successive flat surfaces bearing different signs ordecorations in amanner such that while the change from one sign to thenext is made rapidly'each sign remains stationary for an interval oftime of sufficient length for it to make a distinct impression upon theeye. This object is attained by the means described in the annexedspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a front elevation of a three-sectioned sign embodying myinvention, the lower part being broken away to exposethe pivots uponwhich the sections rotate. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, uponan enlarged scale, taken upon line so w of Fig. 1 looking from the rear.Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a different position of the sectionsand of the operative mechanism. Fig, 4 is a detail end view of one ofthe tappetbearing collars which are to be secured upon the shaft forimparting an intermittent motion to the sections. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of the same.

Referring to the parts, the frame consists of top and bottom boards aand a, connected by side pieces a and a The sign is made up oftrilateral pieces or sections B, whose cross-section is the shape of anequilateral triangle. These sections B are journaled upon pivots b and bin the top and bottom boards of the frame, so that in each of the threestationary positions the edges of the adjacent sections are closetogether, the front faces of the sections all lie in the same plane, andthe portions of characters or characters on the faces constitute acomplete sign. In Fig. 1 only three sections are shown; but of course aslong a sign as desired may be made 50 by multiplying the sections.

Operative shaft 0 is journaled in the side the shaft continues torevolve.

pieces (do? It is rectangular in cross-section, except at the pointswhere it is journaled in the frame, and is to be given a uniformrotation by any suitable mechanism.

Upon the shaft opposite each one of sections Bis secured a collar D,formed integral with which is'a spirally-inclined tappet d forcontacting the successive faces of the section to rotate it. Extendingfrom one side of the base of the tappet and around to the opposite sideof the collar in a plane at a right angle to shaft 0 is a groove (1',into which the corners of the sections fit, so that the sections areheld firmly in a position such that the faces in front are all in thesame plane,as above described,while Just before it reaches the otherside of the base of the tappet the groove takes aspiral course, so as tomove the section so that the next face of the section is broughtintothe' path of the tappet to be carried to the front to form part ofanother sign. Perforation d in collar D is made rectangular, so that anumber of collars may be strung upon the shaft corresponding to thenumber of the sections B and be held in place thereon between twojam-nuts c c.

What I claim isv 1. In a sign the combination ofa frame, trilateralpieces j ournaled side by side therein, a shaft journaled in the frame,and collars secured upon the shaft each bearing a tappet for engagingthe faces of the trilateral piece opposite it whereby the pieces aremade to present flat sign-bearin g surfaces intermin tently to the eye,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a sign the combination ofa frame, trilateral pieces journaled sideby side therein,

a shaft journaled in the frame, and collars secured upon the shaftopposite the pieces each bearing a tappet to engage the faces of thepiece opposite it whereby the pieces are rotated intermittently andhaving a groove to receive the corners of the piece to hold I the 5piece in a position such that the pieces together form flat sign-bearingsurfaces, substantially as shown and described.

THEODORE P. HEINEMANN. Witnesses:

J M. KELLUM, IRA T. TRUSLEE.

